Casket top and panel fastener



May 27, 1924. 1,495,712 J. R. NESTER V CASKET TOP AND PANEL FASTENER Filed Jan. 13, 1922 John R. Nester INVENTOR Z2 ATTORNEY Patented May 27, 192.4.

UNITED STATES JOHN 11,. NES'I'ER, F POTISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA..-

CASKET rror Am PANEL FASTENER.

Application, filed January 13, 1922. Serial No. 28,936.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN R. NEsTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pottstown, in thecounty of Montgomery and 5 State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Casket Top and Panel Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fastening means 1 and more particularly to that type or form of device which is specially adapted forv securing the covers and panels to burial caskets, coflins and the like, the primary object being to'provide a casket top or panelv fastener which will obviate the use of screws or similar means for ensuring a safe and secure connection between said panel and top,

or the top and casket body.

Another object of my invention is to provide a fastening device of the kind referred to which is simple in construction, cheap to manufacture, instantaneous in action and no1seless in operation.

With the -foregoing and other objects in 2 view as will hereafter become more apparent, my invention consists essentially in certain novel features'of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts later on fully described and more specifically defined by the subjoined claims. In the further disclosure of the invention reference is to be had to the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings constituting a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference designate the same orcorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1is a top, plan view of a burial casket having my invention applied thereto;

all of said parts being in accordance with: prevailing practiceand constituting no part of my invention.

The improved fastening device in accord tangular strip 9.

ance with my improvements embodies two principal parts 9, 10 the former of whiohis adapted for fitment in the casket sill or upper edge 11, whereas the latter is applied tothe underside 12 of the cover 7 as later on explained. Referring to the part 9 as shown most clearly by Figure 3 it 1 will be seen that it consists of a rectangular strip of suitable material such as sheet-metal of appropriate dimensions to be snugly, bedded into the body sill or upper edge 11 and held in place by wood screws passed through countersink holes 13, 13. This part or strip 9 is longitudinally slotted at 14, and one end of said slot is ohamferedor grooved at 15 to form a depending ribfor a purpose later on explained. Pivotally connected beneath the strip 9 by a rivet or pivot pin 16 is a lever 17 that is fashioned with a locking member or tongue 18 and a downwardly turned finger piece 19 by means of which saidllever 17 can beswung 011 its pivot 16. Stamped or otherwise upsetfrom the lever 17 is a tit 20 that is adapted to lock in or cngagewith a correspondingly shaped cavity. 21 provided for the purpose on the underside of the rec- Insome instances I may prefer to dispense with the pivot pin 16 and extend the lever somewhat as indicated in Figure 3 toprovide an eye-piece 22, said eye piecehaving a hole for registration beneath the countersink hole 13 so that when a wood screw is passed therethrough to secure the strip 9 to the casketbody sill 11, said screw will serve as a pivot for the lever 17, as will be clearly understood by those acquainted with the art to which my invention appertains? Referring now to the part 10 and as will be best understood from Figure 4 it will be seen that itis likewise made from an elongated strip of suitable material such as sheet metal that is provided with countersink holes 23 by means of which said part 10 is secured to the underside of the cover 7 .by wood screws or the like. Intermediate its ends the strip or part 10 is transversely out at 2& to provide a downwardly turned tenon 25 which is slotted at 26 for the reception member or tongue 18. I

In some instances, such as when my improved fastening device is applied to the removable panel 8 I preferably-fashion thelever '17 with an apertured car 27 for connec tion thereto of a cord or tassel-mot show'n of engagement by the aforesaid locking whereby said lever may be drawn out as well as adapted for snug fitment below the bead or edge of the said panel 8.

In use and assuming that the parts 9 have been fitted into the sill or upper edge of the casket body 6 with the partslO siu iilarly applied to the underside'12 of the cover 7 so that the tenons 25 will register with the slots 14 in the parts 9; it will be perfectly obvious that the levers 17 will be firstly drawn outwards by the finger pieces 19. When the cover '7 is placed in position on the casket 6 it will be clear that the grooves 15 serve to guide the tenons 25 into the slots 14s, whereupon the levers 17 will be pushed inwards. This inward movement of the levers 17 will cause the locking members or tongues 18 to enter the slots 26 in the tenons 25', and when said. levers are pushed in to their fullest extente that is to say, until the finger pieces 19 engage the side walls of the casket the tits 20 will enter and se-. curely engage in the cavities 21 when it will be readily understood that the cover 7 will be securely locked to the casket body, whilst at. the same time a tight joint will result in that the crowding of the tits 20' into the cavities 21 will cause a drawing together of said cover 7 and the upper edge or sill 11 of the casket. Still further when the few tening device is applied to the panel 8 that is connected at one end by gripping tongues 28 of the well known slipin-and-under type it will be apparent the same furnishes a very simple and efficient n'ieans for locking said panel in place; or, on the other hand, providing. for its easy removal.

From the foregoing it will be clearly seen that by my invention there is provided an exceedingly simple and effective fastening means for the purposes specified, the same being of extremely simple construction whereby it can be produced at small cost; and whilst there has been shown and described apreferred embodiment the same is not to be construed as conclusive in that changes in the shape or pattern of the various parts can be easily evolved without departing from the essential features thereof, the right is therefore hereby reserved to make such detail changes as fairly lie within.

its ends, said .SlOtted: tenon being adapted 7 for passage through the aforesaid slotted strip and inter-engagement by the laterally projecting tongue on the pivoted lever, and means for locking the pivoted lever to the first mentioned strip when the parts are in with a laterally projecting tongue and depending finger piece, an elongated strip for connection into the underside of the casket cover provided with an integral slotted tenon intermediate its ends, said slotted tenon being adapted for passage through the aforesaid slotted strip and inter engagement by the laterally projecting tongue on the pivoted lever, and means for locking the pivoted lever to the first mentioned strip when the parts are in assembled relation.

3. The combination with a burial casket and the cover therefor of a longitudinally slotted strip for fixture in the upper edge of said casket body by a plurality of fixing screws, a lever having an. apertured eyepiece at one end for pivotal connection beneath the slotted strip by one of its fixing screws, said lever being fashioned with a laterally projecting tongue and depending linger piece, an elongated strip for connection intothe underside of the casket cover provided with an integral slotted tenon intermediate its ends, said slotted tenon being adapted for passage through the aforesaid slotted strip and inter-engagement by the laterally projecting tongue on the pivoted lever, and means for locking the pivoted lever to the first mentioned strip when the parts are in assembled relation.

4;. The combination with a. burial casket slotted strip for fixture in the upper edge of said casket body, a lever pivoted to the underside of said slotted strip and provided with a laterally projecting tongue and depending finger piece, an elongated strip for connection into the underside of the casket cover provided with an integral slotted tenon intermediate its ends, said slotted strip adapted for inter-engagement by the laterally projecting tongue on the pivoted lever, an upset tit on the aforesaid le ver, and a correspondingly shaped cavity on the underside of the slotted strip whereby the entire device is securely locked when the parts are in assembled relation.

The combination with a burial casket and the cover therefor of a longitudinally slotted strip for fixture in the upper edge of said casket body by 'a plurality of fixing screws, a lever having an apertured eyepiece at one end for pivotal connection beneath the slotted strip by one of its. fixing screws, said lever being fashioned with a laterally projecting tongue and depending finger piece, an elongated strip forconnection into the underside of the casket cover provided with an integral slotted tenon intermediate its ends, said slotted tenon being adapted for passage through the aforesaid slotted strip and inter-engagement by the laterally projecting tongue on the pivoted lever, an upset tit on the aforesaid lever, and a correspondingly shaped cavity on the underside of the slotted strip whereby the entire device is securely locked when the parts are in assembled relation.

6. The combination with the body of a burial casket and the cover therefor, of a longitudinally slotted strip for fixture in the upper edge of said casket body and provided with a depending rib, an elongated strip for connection into the underside of. said cover and provided with a slotted tenon for insertion in the slot of said slotted strip, and a lever pivotally disposed beneath said slotted stripand provided with a laterally projecting tongue for insertion in the slot of said tenon and provided with a chamfered edge cooperative with said rib for forcing said tongue downwardly, and provided with a. depending finger-piece.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOHN R. NESTER. 

